Tag Archives: iPhone stand

Dubbed by Mashable as a sort of Swiss Army Knife for smartphones, a new, multi-use iPhone 5 accessory proves that expanding on your phone's functionality goes way beyond apps. Sometimes you need a physical tool, and the new Kickstarter campaign for the XiStera iPhone 5 accessory promises just that.

This nifty, multi-purpose tool works in tons of ways to let you get more out of your iPhone and to make your daily life just a bit easier. As far as iPhone 5 accessories go, the XiStera's got most of what you could desire.

About the size of a wine bottle opener, it works as a multi-position stand for your iPhone, a lens adapter, a wrap for your headphone cord, a tripod mount, and doubles as a stylus and optional LED lighting system. Oh, and it's also a bottle opener and keychain too.

When it's idle, this iPhone 5 accessory neatly attaches to the upper corner of your iPhone, with only about a quarter of the bulk of a regular iPhone 5 case. And it looks like it's going to be pretty affordable too.

Meanwhile, XIStera seems to be eyeing the countless possibilities for optional add-on accessories. And they're already at work on compatible iPhone car mounts and bike mounts, as well as a range of lenses and stylus covers in different colors.

One of the coolest iPhone 5 accessories to come out in so many months, it's no surprse that the XiStera has already reached its initial Kickstarter goal of $19,000 in just three days. They're now pushing toward their second fundraising target of $100,000, and something tells us they'll get there.

Sometimes you can find earth-shattering new technology on Kickstarter, gadgets so revolutionary, they change the way we think about tech. Other times, it's just a case a of a good, simple idea that fills a need. Definitely not a work of genius, the FlipGrip, a new multi-function iPhone carrying case falls into the latter category.

That's not to say that this iPhone accessory isn't a worthwhile Kickstarter project. Sure, there are already plenty of iPhone cases and skins out there. But the FlipGrip does have a simple yet practical twist that'll let you keep a handle on your phone – literally.

Its design centers around a unique, multi-function handle that acts as both a grip and multi-position stand. Why should you need a handle for your phone, you might ask? Well, you may have already found yourself in the same position that led the FlipGrip's creator to make the case in the first place:

"FlipGrip was born out of the necessity to get a better "GRIP" on my smartphone. One day while lying in bed reading the news, the idea hit me!"

And so the FlipGrip was created, a protective plastic iPhone carrying case with a handle that doubles as a stand but which can snap shut to rest flush with the case when it's not in use.

See what we mean about simple and practical ideas being worth their while? And though the current FlipGrip prototype is a model for iPhone 4/4S, models for other iOS devices, like iPhone 5 and iPad carrying cases, are on their way.

On top of that, FlipGrip says theu'll be applying the same concept to cases for "other popular devices from Samsung, Google, Amazon and Microsoft in early 2013."

Sure, the FlipGrip is hardly revolutionary in terms of iPhone accessories. But sometimes it's less important whether you're doing something someone else has done before, as long as you're doing it better.

Just like most people, Smarterflo product designer Dotan Saguy loves the iPhone. But as any good mobile accessories designer should, he's always looking for ways to make life easier. Enter the Smarter Stand for iPhone. Simple and ingenious, this new iPhone accessory from Starterflo is one of best ideas we've seen lately, solving two of the little issues we've all had with the iPhone for some time.

In a video for Kickstarter, where Smarterflo is trying to raise $15,000 to get the Smarter Stand made, Saguy explains how he first thought up his new design:

"There's two things that have been bugging me for years about the iPhone. The first one is, to try to prop it up against something is nearly impossible. The second thing is, when I try to bring my earbuds out of my pocket, to try to tangle them out is just a nightmare."

But Saguy realized that using the iPhone's headphone plug could allow him to make an easily portable kickstand that didn't require a case for the device and didn't add any bulk. The result is a new, minialistic iPhone stand that plugs into the headphone jack while also allowing you to use your headphones and while keeping them tangle free.

To call the Smarter Stand a desktop stand is a little hyperbolic, since the accessory is so small you can slip it in your pocket and take it from place to place with you, another clever feature of this accessory. And, aside from acting as a spool for tangle-free earbuds, it works with or without a case and is compatible with both iPhone and iPod Touch.

This isn't the first stroke of genius to come out of Smarterflo. The company launched their Smarter Stand for iPad only this past June on Kickstarter, to amazing response and great success. And we at Pure Mobile have a feeling they're in for even greater things with their amazingly simple and exceedingly clever new iPhone accessory.

Okay, so we all want to keep our fragile and costly devices protected. But have we gone a little too far in making crazy brick-like carrying cases to keep them safe? mentalKase, a new line of protective iPhone cases on Kickstarter, has led us to conclude yes and no.

At first glance, we completely pshawed the mentalKase. Branded as a sort of ultimate outdoorsman's carrying case, It looks like a really big silicone skin with a handle, wrapped around a slightly smaller silicone skin. Combined, the two layers practically double the size of your iPhone – talk about bulky!

But the case (which is compatible with iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S with an iPhone 5 model in the works) isn't actually silicone. Its inner layer is made of TPU, while the large outer layer is made of micro-cell rubberized foam (MCRF), which mentalKase says "protects sensitive electronics from shock and impact" like nothing else.

And while their video shows someone dropping their iPhone, clad in a mentalKase, from a two-story rooftop, and another person chucking theirs into the air like a juggler, one wonders if any normal person would ever need protection for such activities? Nonetheless, the the iPhones survive, so at least we know the mentalKase does what it's supposed to.

Another little drawback to the mental case is that, while the outer layer allows access to the headphone jack, no mention is made of any of the other iPhone ports, so we're not really sure how you're supposed to charge with it on. Nevermind that it's not particularly attractive, though you can remove the outside and use just the inner layer.

It's also behind some other heavy-duty iPhone accessories, like the Lifeproof, and OtterBox's upcoming Armor case, in that it's not waterproof. But it will float to the surface, for whatever good that does you.

The outer layer of the mentalKase converts to a desktop iPhone stand

There are some nice features to the mentalKase, however. You can use it with your phone's screen out or flipped in, for extra protection. And the outer layer can be removed and converted into an iPhone desktop stand.

Also, the MCRF material used for the outer is anti-microbial. But, just as we feel it's a bit of an exaggeration to try and protect your phone lest it fall off a roof, we also think it's a little phobic to need a sterile case. Really, has your phone case ever given you a cold?

Over all, the mentalKase looks like a pretty decent product, and seems to deliver on what it promises. So, in that sense, it's not really going overboard if you happen to need a massive, germ-resistant iPhone case that can survive a game of "toss that phone" and can float like a fishing bobber.

But if you're looking for everyday use, we'd probably recommend a more streamlined case with a slightly lower level of shock absorption, something that'll actually fit in your pocket.

Still, it just goes to show that, for every person and every lifestyle, there's an iPhone accessory out that's just right.